Only One
I haven’t selected a personal word of the year for quite a few years. I found that the practice wasn’t really serving me, mostly because I would forget what my word was a few weeks after I selected it.
This year a word selected me (it just kept coming up and it felt right). So I thought I’d give the practice another try and see how it goes.
The word I will use to help guide and shape 2018 will be Priority.
In the singular.
One single point of focus.
Originally priority was only used in the singular.* It meant “being first”. Two things can’t be first. So of course it was singular.
And then we got busy and decided we could/should focus on more – why not have priorities? We have so many interests and obligations – they are ALL important!
And if we run around like chickens with our heads cut off we can get them all done also.
Or not.
Which is why Priority is my word for the year. I’m tired of running around in circles being pulled in too many directions at once.
I want to go in 1 direction at a time.
Priority In Action
I’ve been using my word of the year for a few weeks now and it is going well.
I’m putting this word into action by listing my todo list in (roughly) the order I plan on executing the tasks. At the start of the day I select the first item and it is my priority. I work on it until it is done and only then do I move on to the next.
This has seriously cut down on my drifting off to social media as I am feeling more connected with the work I’m doing. It is my priority – not just another thing to be done.
Most of the time. Well, some of the time. When I remember and I pull myself back to the priority at hand.
This is a new practice. And I’m still practicing.
What I can say is that when I remember – I already feel less stressed about my todo lists.
Removing Priorities
The other way I’ve put my word into action is I am trying to remove the word Priorities from my vocabulary.
This has been an interesting process as I use the word a lot. I’ve discovered that I mostly use it to release myself from the need to make hard choices. It’s a great excuse for not getting anything done – too many priorities.
Writing content for my master class programs has become a bit more challenging as I am getting very clear as to the difference between a list of tasks and the top most important thing. Turns out thinking of them as different things is empowering.
Yes – I do like having multiple important focuses in my life at the same time (making art, teaching and coaching, marketing, relationships, etc.) We all do. Yet asking myself “what is the priority right now” allows me to give that focus my complete attention.
And so priority it is.
And my priority for 2018 is to spend more time in my studio making larger artwork. If I do nothing else – this year will be a success.